Board of Assessors approves minutes and vouchers, votes to enter executive session on abatements

At the Nov. 20 Board of Assessors meeting in the Town of Blackstone, members approved routine minutes and vouchers and voted to enter executive session to consider confidential abatements and exemptions.

The chair called for a motion to approve and accept the minutes of the Oct. 10 meeting; a motion to approve was made and the board recorded affirmative voice votes. The board also approved a voucher for the secretary’s minutes and a mileage reimbursement voucher for an individual identified in the transcript as 'Rocco' for time spent driving to perform assessments; both items were moved and carried by voice vote.

The board confirmed there were motor vehicle abatements posted since the Oct. 10 meeting and arranged to have each certificate signed individually. No motor vehicle tax commitments required signatures at the meeting.

Near the end of the public meeting, the chair moved the board into executive session “under purpose 7” to discuss confidential matters including abatements and exemptions, citing statutory exemptions referenced in the transcript. Recorded votes on the executive-session motion were 'yes' by Joe Warren, Jeremiah Gary and the chair; the board recessed into the executive session and did not reconvene a public meeting.

Actions recorded in the meeting minutes included approval of the Oct. 10 minutes, approval of the secretary’s voucher, approval of mileage reimbursement for Rocco, circulation and signing of motor vehicle abatement certificates, and the motion to enter executive session to consider confidential abatements and exemptions. The content of the executive session was not discussed on the public record.